The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers meet for the first time since going toe-to-toe in the 2016 National League Championship Series. Monday’s matchup not only kicks off a three-game series at Wrigley Field, but also the start of a celebration in recognition of the Cubs’ first World Series in 108 years.
Prior to the series opener, which is being nationally televised on ESPN, the Cubs are holding a pregame banner-raising ceremony. The team will then receive their World Series rings before Thursday’s matinee game.
Jake Arrieta and Rich Hill were originally scheduled to duel, but neither pitcher takes the mound. The Dodgers put Hill on the 10-day disabled list because of a blister on his middle left finger. Alex Wood starts in place of Hill.
A rainout last week in St. Louis allowed the Cubs to alter their rotation so that Jon Lester would get the ball and ensure the Dodgers face two left-handed starters during the three-game set.
Wood went 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and had 62 strikeouts in 56.1 innings pitched across 10 starts last season. In his lone game against the Cubs, Wood threw five innings, allowed two runs on seven hits, issued three walks and had seven strikeouts.
It was his final start of the season due to injury. Upon returning last September, Wood threw four scoreless innings in as many relief appearances during September. He began this season in the bullpen, and threw two scoreless innings on April 5 in what’s been his only action thus far.
In his first start this season, Lester limited the Cardinals to one run on seven hits and had seven strikeouts in five innings. He didn’t factor into the decision, which was a one-run loss for the Cubs.
Logan Forsythe, who snapped an 0-for-14 skid by going 3-for-5 on Sunday, once again bats leadoff. He’s hitless and has three strikeouts in eight career at-bats against Lester. Franklin Gutierrez is a lifetime 5-for-23 with one home run, three RBI and 11 strikeouts.
Joc Pederson makes a second start this season against a left-handed pitcher. Assuming the Dodgers manage to reach, one aspect to watch will be their aggressiveness on the basepaths.
Kyle Schwarber and Ben Zobrist, both of whom are in the Cubs lineup, are tied for the team lead with two home runs. Willson Contreras leads the Cubs with five RBI in four games.
Excluding the postseason, the Dodgers went 3-4 against the Cubs last season. They dropped three of four contests at Wrigley Field in 2016.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Franklin Gutierrez
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
P: Alex Wood
Cubs lineup:
LF: Kyle Schwarber
3B: Kris Bryant
1B: Anthony Rizzo
RF: Ben Zobrist
SS: Addison Russell
C: Willson Contreras
CF: Jason Heyward
2B: Javier Baez
P: Jon Lester
